20th Century Studios
Science fiction stories and films set in a post-apocalyptic world have almost become cliché by now, and looking at the trailer for The Creator one can have the assumption that this one is no different, borrowing heavily from previous films including Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Alita: Battle Angel, Oblivion, Elysium, District 9, Ex Machina and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. But even with the obvious influence of all of these different stories, writer-director Gareth Edwards, with co-screenwriter Chris Weitz, have managed to use the best of these previous stories and spin an original tale of their own.
The story begins in a world where AI devices have become commonplace, from the workplace to homes. This world obviously does not exist in the world of T2 and the AI quickly destroy the planet after dropping a nuclear bomb on Los Angeles. This event sets the stage for a war between human and AI as the military learns that someone, or some thing, known as The Creator has lived up to their name and created a new AI weapon that will be the end of civilization. Joshua (John David Washington) and his wife pregnant Maya (Gemma Chan) find themselves under attack by a military unit looking for The Creator, and it turns out Joshua is one of them, his cover blown and his wife quickly leaving, only to be killed fleeing the scene. Devastated by this, Joshua reluctantly rejoins the hunt for The Creator after he sees footage of someone he believes is Maya, and along the way he comes into contact with the new weapon which is in the form of a child. Joshua believes the child, who he names Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), can take him to Maya and he goes rogue with the military hot on his heels to stop them both.
Right from the beginning, The Creator grabs your interest and never lets go wisely keeping the identity of The Creator under wraps (although I was pretty sure I knew who it was very early on). The early part of the film is a pure action flick with the military in pursuit of the weapon, not knowing it’s a child, and then once Joshua discovers Alphie, it becomes a chase and a quest, but it becomes a story about these two characters bonding, both having lost someone in their lives. The conversations the two have about death and where you go after you die is heart-wrenching and help sets this film apart from the others.
None of this would work without an outstanding cast, and Edwards has assembled some top-notch talent. John David Washington, who didn’t get great reviews for his somewhat cold performance in Tenet, acquits himself nicely here. From the obvious love he shows for Maya to his determination to find the weapon to his fatherly bonding with Alphie, a surrogate for the child he lost, is believable, natural, emotional from start to finish. He handles all of the action scenes with great skill, and he wears his heart on his sleeve as he pines for Maya and does anything he can to protect Alphie.
20th Century Studios
Ken Watanabe lends great support as the AI Harun, almost a sort-of father figure to Joshua and a protector for Alphie. Allison Janney, usually known more for comedy or dramedy more that straight drama, is the vicious Colonel Howell, a focused and determined military leader who will do anything to make sure their mission is completed, and isn’t afraid to sacrifice Joshua if he won’t turn over the weapon (she’s a bit pissed that she’s under orders to bring him back alive though). Gemma Chan and Sturgill Simpson also appear in supporting roles. Besides Washington, this film lives or dies by the performance of Alphie. Child actors can be cloying if not guided by a skillful director, and Edwards has struck gold with Madeleine Yuna Voyles. She never performs Alphie as anything other than a child, one full of questions and emotions, but who also recognizes that she has special abilities that can come in handy in a pinch, especially when it comes to protecting this human she begins to recognize as a father figure. The chemistry between Washington and Voyles is completely natural, and they make you want to root for them to find what they’ve lost, a wife for Joshua and a mother for Alphie (and let me tell you, the end of their quest packs a gut-punch). And thanks to Janney’s ruthless performance, you really want to see them give her what she deserves.
The performances are augmented (no pun intended) by some superlative special effects. We’ve seen actors combined with special effects in the past to make them appear robotic, but the effects for the humanoid AI are astounding as we see the machinery in their heads and necks. These effects are seamless and I can’t imagine the hours and hours of work it took to create and integrate into the film, many times with dozens of AI characters in the scene. This is truly some Oscar-worthy work (and let me add that Voyles also turns in an awards-worthy performance). Not just the AI, but the massive AI-detecting aircraft that is always looming in the sky, and all of the environments that were created through visual effects. Truly some eye-popping work that appears totally natural.
But all of the special effects in the world couldn’t help a shallow film, and thankfully the story, FX and performances make The Creator an action-packed but emotional film that should not be missed.
This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
The Creator has a run time of 2 hours 13 minutes, and is rated PG-13 for violence, some bloody images and strong language.
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